deflating

verb

present participle of deflate
1
as in collapsing
to become smaller in size or volume due to loss of contents We kept her birthday decorations up until the balloons started deflating.

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2
as in emptying
to make smaller in size or volume by removing the contents Please deflate the air mattress and fold it up before you leave.

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3
as in declining
to make or become lower in amount or value The excess supply deflated prices. The company's stock has deflated.

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4
as in undermining
to cause to lose force or effectiveness Her cutting remark deflated his ego. The lawsuit deflated their hopes for a quick resolution.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deflating But instead of settling for a deflating draw, Boise flipped the switch, starting attacking again and emerged with all three points. — Idaho Statesman, 9 Aug. 2026 Intelligence as an input cost is deflating faster than almost any commodity in the history of technology. — Michael Wee, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026 Nothing makes this part of the chase memorable or important enough to merit a flash-forward, which turns it into a deflating blunder in a series that can’t afford to slow down. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 July 2026 The Dodgers suffered a deflating 9-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on Friday to start their final series before the All-Star break. — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026 The note is there when Sugar gets back, placating his suspicions (for now) and deflating his ego. — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 10 July 2026 Troopers successfully deployed stop sticks, deflating the rear driver’s side tire, state police said. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026 When algorithms see these frictions falling away, the need for a driver premium plummets, deflating the surge price. — Christopher S. Tang, The Conversation, 8 July 2026 Does a loss this deflating puncture any momentum the sport has made with general fans? — Chris Branch, New York Times, 7 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflating
  1. collapsing
  2. emptying
  3. declining
  4. undermining
  5. dripping
  6. draining
  7. reducing
  8. weakening
Verb
  • Scientists have discovered that copper melts gradually rather than collapsing all at once under extreme heat.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Videos posted to social media showed buildings collapsing and panicked residents running and screaming, as dust filled the sky.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of collapsing
Verb
  • The pace would put Lineage on track to finish emptying its freezers within two weeks.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Never emptying the filter is another big no-no, and not draining the filter is also a mistake.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of emptying
Verb
  • Farage did not give a victory speech after declining to attend the declaration, claiming police had warned of a campaign to disrupt it.
    — Reagan Yip, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Is the town’s population growing or declining, and by how much?
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of declining
Verb
  • The strikers warned that unpaid wages were undermining morale and affecting patient care.
    — Prosper Heri Ngorora, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Family conflicts related to inheritance are among the most common factors undermining wealth transfers.
    — Medora Lee, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of undermining
Verb
  • Frequent zoom-ins shown on screens showed sweat dripping down his face, and his hair resembled something similar to a mad scientist after an experiment blows up in their face.
    — Joseph Hernandez August 13, Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Sunburned in my memory was the wall of belts, cuffs and chokers dripping gloriously in silver studs.
    — Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of dripping
Verb
  • To deodorize and tackle slow-draining sinks, sprinkle a bit of baking soda down the drain before pouring a generous amount of apple cider vinegar.
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Aug. 2026
  • For best results, focus on giving your ficus well-draining soil and plenty of bright, partial light.
    — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of draining
Verb
  • Drought conditions are also fueling devastating, costly wildfires and reducing crop yields, threatening to push up food prices.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Reportedly this approach could boost reliability by reducing the number of mechanical components.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of reducing
Verb
  • Sansoni’s study suggests that years of scrolling on Instagram can weaken our ability to rely on these inner signals, essentially weakening our brain’s ability to accurately perceive its own face and body.
    — Nicole Karlis, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The danger Pelath is concerned about is when the river banks are saturated, some root systems let go, sending more trees into the river and weakening the banks.
    — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of weakening

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Cite this Entry

“Deflating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflating. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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